An defense minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while staff have been told to refrain from discussing secret information in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any car, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader security environment highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of official operations, from transport use to communication practices.
